Oswestry Music Live - The Family Mahone,Strange Fish,Lisa Mills,The Morenas,Blindsyde,Redstone Live Review @ Cae Glas Park (Shropshire) - 10 Jul 2005
Photos:Elly Roberts
Live Review
Celebrating 60 years of the end of WW11 on one of the hottest days of the year, fifteen thousand fans turned up at Cae Glas Oswestry to experience an eleven hour music marathon, organised by entrepreneurial musician and producer Phil Beaumont and Oswestry Town Council. This, the fifth event in the border town, OML has grown in stature each year. Drawing performers from all corners of the UK and America, this superb showcase has turned into a mini-Glastonbury. Charging a bargain five pounds per ticket, the day-long rolling format is rapidly becoming one of the serious festivals on the UK calendar. A real family affair, with food and drink stalls, small funfair and fire jugglers, there was plenty to keep the day rolling on. All ages were represented on stage and in the crowd, with the relaxed picnic style atmosphere juxtaposed by plenty of musical styles to keep everybody happy, from out – and - out rockers to the delicate nuances of acoustic guitars. With such phenomenal talent on display, it only served to prove that the UK is still a world beater when it comes to music development and credibility, even if most of them weren’t household names. As temperatures soared into the mid 20’s, the heat was matched by even hotter acts. Alternating smoothly from main stage to the bandstand’s acoustic stage, Beaumont’s vast experience was evident on all aspects of the event.
The main stage brought bands such as North Wales outfit Redstone, now based in London, who gave an insight into their future international rising. Sophisticated rock and harmony is their penchant, heard on Night After Night and jaunty Bye Bye. This autumn sees the reworking of horror flick Jekyll and Hyde. To their credit they have two songs, Old Boy ( single release September ) which features in the opening sequence, and On This Rock also makes the soundtrack cut. Clearly, Redstone have all the makings of a band with a massive future.
Popular locals and recent Wrexham Chicago Rock Café competition winners Blindsyde brought the first stage surge, as ruggedly handsome Scott Tudor led his troupes through a storming eight song set, showing an expanded repertoire of accessible rock. Best bits – delicious Wah Wah guitar riffs by Andrew Feaks, I Belong and Slow Down. This band has come a long way in 12 months, and it shows. Another local outfit, A Little Bit of Chaos, with Phil Beaumont on drums, gave a familiar professional covers sojourn of rock standards, concluding with a stunning guitar solo by Amos Cooper on Prince’s Purple Rain.
Highly rated Alabama blues balladeer Lisa Mills, aided on upright bass by pint-sized Ian Jennings of The Big Town Playboys, brought glamour and sensuality. The flame-haired beauty brought gasps from he crowd with gut wrenching deliveries and vocal gymnastics. Having debuted at Glastonbury last year, she returned for a second dose of OML as part of her five week UK tour promoting her excellent CD I’m Changing, recorded in LA. Doing covers and originals, Sunshine is a cert for BBC Radio 2 playlists. She can seen at the Trowbridge and Gloucester Blues festivals.
Riff laden Essex trio The Morenas, fronted by swarthy ‘rock-star’ guitarist Paulo Morena, are serious contenders for the big time. Their storming Old Skool rock has mass appeal and class, catching the eye of TV music programmes. Again playing a 40 minute set they have a formidable repertoire including singles It Shouldn’t Matta and Coming Home. This band is destined for major attention. If they get to Glasto, they’ll blow everyone away with stage antics and soaring vocals. They’re about to show The Darkness the door!
On the acoustic stage, there were superb performances by Strangefish who are currently recording at Forge Studio in Oswestry. This low – key quartet were sensational, with some Peter Gabriel-like vocals from Steve Taylor. Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here was breathtaking.
Local hero Adam Howes kept it simple on acoustic guitar with several self-penned songs Pieces, Fall and covers, including crowd pleasers American Pie, U2’s With Or Without You and Green Day’s Time Of Your Life. His highlight was Damien Rice’s The Blower’s Daughter as he pulled in some pals to support.
Back on the main stage with headliners The Family Mahone, led by Radio 1 DJ Mark Radcliffe, they folk-rocked into the twilight as they turned up the pace with an energetic set of drinking songs, bringing the crowd to their dancing feet. This combo is perfect festival fodder, and they know it, as they confidently played to the crowd at every opportunity. Romping through favourites like Dirty Old Town, the Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues, and selected CD tracks from On the Razzle and Songs of The Back Bar, the party atmosphere intensified.
With the crowd at fever pitch, they encored with a stirring Irish Rover.
Rounding off a glorious day, Porthywaen Silver Band gave a rousing Proms style finale, with Union Jack flags swaying to Jerusalem, and Rule Britannia. This lead to one of the most spectacular fireworks displays ever.
An exhausted but beaming Phil Beaumont said,
This year’s event was the best so far. On the day, there was a fantastic turnout, and I am told that the festival – goers were estimated at 15,000. I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make it possible and all the artists who performed so brilliantly.The festival was sponsored by Oswestry Town Council, Forge Recording Studio, Systems Workshop and BBC Radio Shropshire.
Gigs
- Sat 18th Oct 2008
You may also be interested in
- Tue 14th Oct 2008
- Wed 15th Oct 2008
- Fri 17th Oct 2008
- Sat 18th Oct 2008
- Wed 22nd Oct 2008
- Fri 24th Oct 2008
- Sat 25th Oct 2008
- Sun 26th Oct 2008
- Sat 15th Nov 2008
- Sun 16th Nov 2008
- Thu 20th Nov 2008
- Sat 29th Nov 2008 and Sat 27th Dec 2008
- Thu 11th Dec 2008
